Off The Ground- An Afternoon of Music, Poetry and Visual Arts

Grounded is an ongoing art exhibit in the Lopez Museum and Library which will run until August 3, 2013.  It showcases the classic artworks of the national artists in face with the modernist work of the contemporary artists.  

The Lopez Museum and Library entrance with marble door frame

The term Grounded suggests a vast genus of definitions:  failure to launch, electrical misfires, immobilized states-- any term conveying rootedness or failure to proceed. Grounded though does not reside on the negative premise as it sees art as a means to take flight while remaining anchored at the same time, straining forward while staying entrenched.  The opposites of things that are meant to supplement each other. 

Off the Ground therefore means freedom, a free flow, a stride forward-- that moment of being loosened from the grip of anything that's stifling an action, a spirit or a journey, because the time calls for such liberation.  And April 27, 2013 was one moment to let go off the grip.  It was the day the Lopez Museum & Library presented a free concert-- Off the Ground, An Afternoon of Music, Poetry and Visual Arts, and once more allowed the free expression of nationalistic spirit and sentiments through the arts.

The audience was composed of different people-- art patrons, art enthusiasts, writers, photographers, young adults, students, parents, tots!  A young wife was there with her three girls, approximately 3-5 years of age, and she was saying that they were there for the music.  It was nice that the mother was inculcating in her little ones the love of orchestra and classical music at their tender age.  Children exposed to classical art and music grow to be more multi-intelligent than the ones confined in the living room to watch Barney and the likes.

Program was opened by Ms. Ethel Villafranca

The program showcased fresh talents.  Three young poets read passages from their own published books. 

Franz Joel Liboon read excerpt from Humigit-Kumulang

Raymond John De Borja read excerpt from They Day Daze

Marlon Hacla read excerpt from Glossolalia

Budding soprano, Ms. Ellaine Marie Vibal, impressed the audience with her world-class nightingale voice, singing Ugoy ng Duyan, a tribute to Filipino master songwriter, Levy Celerio, and the Italian theatrical song, Caro Mio.  Her musical accompaniment was provided by the Orchestra for The Youth, a Lopez scholarship foundation for the deprived youth with musical talents.  Guest conductor was the precise, Maestro Ernesto Zaldua.

Ellaine Vibal singing the Caro Mio, with the Orchestra ForTthe Youth for the music accompaniment and Mr. Ernesto Zaldua as conductor

The co-producer of the program, High Chair, a non-profit organization promoting the love of poetry, talked about their cause and the importance of instilling the love of artistic pursuits among the young people and adults.

High Chair emphasizing importance of poetry

Free snacks were served in cooperation with sponsors like Tully's.

The guests were allowed to tour the galleries to view the Grounded exhibits. 

The National Artists

The Grounded exhibition is composed of the resident artworks of the Lopez Museum like the masterpieces of Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, among others.

The Hidalgo Gallery

One of Hidalgo's undated oil on canvas creations and publications

The Luna Gallery

The exhibition also showcases the works of the national artists like Jose Joya and Federico Alcuaz, Pacita Abad and others.  

Recluse, 1994, is Pacita Abad's creation of painted cloth stitched on dyed linen and canvas;  this patchwork-like form of art was dedicated by Ms. Abad to her friend who committed suicide

Filipiny XIV by Federico Alcuaz, Oil on Canvas, 1983

I'm standing beside the masterpiece, Moros Playing the Bandolin, by B. Morales, Oil on Canvas, 1987

Brenda Fajardo's Pira, Aking guro, Para Kang Bulag Na Nakadilat Ang Mga Mata, Print, 1978

The Modernists

   

Ang Simula ng Pagsibol, 2013, by glass artist, Goldie Poblador;  behind is Toym Imao's Ship, Shift, Strip, a resin-fiberglass-iron-brass-wood take on the USS Guardian that crashed on the Tubbataha reef

I'm standing under the sculpture, Diyos, Choose, Duez, 2013, by Toym Imao;  this sculpture is a take-off from Michaelangelo's The Creation-- here, the hand with the folded paper toy represents God's hand, the folded paper toy represents the choices that God offers us, the other hand represents ours, posed at selecting our fate

P/flight, 2013, fiberglass by Toym Imao, is a metaphorical representation of OFWs, posed at taking a flight but suppressed by the marks of chains on its wrists;  the body has marks of the logos of different airlines

Drawn, Drone, Drown by Toym Imao, Brass Metal Wood, 2013

The art videos will surely appeal to the younger guests as it combines sensibilities with modern forms of art like 3D animation.  The 3D artist, Ahmed Al Shaer, proves that modern art has its distinct appeal.

Selection, Reflection, Attention, Video by Ahmed Al Shaer, 2012, running time 2:09

Ahmed Al Shaer's Selection... video is a game pun on Charles Darwin's setting off gene-spurred politics

My favorite area is the Installation which contains the many footwear creations of Ms. Josephine Turalba.  What's amazing about the footwear collection is that it is made of empty bullet casings!  Guests are allowed to wear the scandals (pronounced as san-dals) to traipse along the corners of the wooden stage which contains various photograph negatives captured during the American occupation.  The area is purposely on dim lights which provides mystique to the experience.

Me, sitting on the wooden stage of the Installation, 2013, which was also designed by Josephine Turalba, with canals on the corners that contained photo negatives during the American colonization;  lighting was purposely dim 

Various bullet shell slippers inspired by footwear designs of different countries

I tried one of the bullet shell sandals, heavy with chain-like clanky sound

Photo negatives taken during the American occupation in the Philippines

In Gallery 1, there's a wall of art called Jutay's Wall. Jutay in the Ilongo dialect means small and this is the very idea that the sociology artist, Alma Quintos, wants to convey--- that everything great starts with small things.  Jutay's Wall allows guests to write their thoughts, draw or express through paper cut-outs and designs whatever their feelings and ideas are.

Expressions of art on the Jutay's Wall

More expressions of art on Jutay's Wall

Ms. Alma Quintos, sociology artist, conducted a talk for the public school teachers on transforming narratives of pain and struggles into power

Guests busy creating their own pieces of art for the Jutay's Wall

One of the cute drawings on Jutay's Wall

My left hand left a self-sketch on Jutay's Wall

Ms. Alma Quintos signing her books which were given for free to the guests

The statements on the gallery walls are especially worth remembering.

A lot more masterpieces by the national artists and the modernists await the guests of the Grounded exhibit.  Time is your enemy when you get engaged on the beauty and significance of these works of art.  Art appreciation is a good means of bonding for the whole family and friends.

Grounded is curated by Back to Square Juan artistic director Claro Ramirez. It will run until August 3, 2013.  Lopez Museum and Library is at the G/F Benpres Bldg., Meralco cor. Exchange Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City.  Museum hours are 8-5pm Mondays through Saturdays except Sundays and holidays.  

For information and registration, call Fanny or Tina at 631-2417 or email lmmpasig@gmail.com.

Credits: 

Many thanks to Ms. Ethel Villafranca of the Lopez Museum and Library for providing the press kit and to Ms. Janice O. Dugan of First Gen Corp. for the invitation